The present invention relates to toy guns such as water-shooting toy guns (otherwise known as water pistols, water blasters, water cannons or soakers) and toy guns that use a blast of air to fire a projectile such as a soft dart. The invention more particularly, although not exclusively, relates to such toy guns having a light priming or pumping action suitable for small children.
Toy guns sometimes require priming by the user to pre-load a strong spring which upon release forces a piston into a firing bay to cause water or air to escape rapidly via a nozzle or aperture. A good blast of water or air requires that the firing spring be quite strong. Priming is usually performed by pulling back on a priming handle which is attached to the spring-loaded piston. The user must pull back hard on the priming handle against the full force of the firing spring. Small children may not have sufficient physical strength to prime such toy guns.
Other toy guns of the type mentioned do not require priming, but are configured to fire immediately upon activation of a pumping handle or trigger. Such toy guns have a direct relationship of movement between the pump handle and the piston and as such the speed of activation of the pump handle directly determines the distance of trajectory. Small children may not have sufficient strength to achieve a good trajectory with such toy guns.